10 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Freeze

Nothing is worse than buying food, only to find yourself with a bunch of leftovers that are about to spoil. Luckily, if you’ve got a freezer, you can prolong the shelf life of a wide variety of different foods. Many foods can be kept in the freezer for up to a year, and they make future cooking much more easy and convenient.

If you want to preserve some of your extra food, consider these 10 foods you didn’t know you could freeze.

1. Flour

If your flour is about to expire, you can freeze it to prolong its shelf life. Keeping it in an airtight container will help prevent it from going rancid. When you want to use it, just let it warm up on the counter first.

2. Eggs (Without The Shell)

Extra eggs can be frozen, but you have to remove them from the shells first. Whip them together for future scrambled eggs or freeze just the whites or yolks. These can keep up to a year, and when you’re ready to use them, just thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Corn On The Cob

Got an abundance of corn on the cob this summer? Stick ’em in the freezer and save them for later. If corn is fresh, you can freeze right away. Otherwise, blanch the corn first, and then put it into freezer bags.

4. Garlic

Garlic cloves can be frozen whole or chopped. You can also store garlic in olive oil, but it’s still best to keep it in the freezer, as you run the risk of botulism if you keep it at room temperature.

5. Onions

Onions can be frozen chopped and raw and kept in freezer bags. Most dishes can use onions with little to no thawing. You can also freeze onions that have been caramelized.

6. Cooked Rice And Pasta

Making a big batch of rice or pasta ahead of time can help you with future meal prep when you need to whip up something quickly. When you’re done, you can thaw and add sauce or make it into a salad.

7. Avocado

To freeze an avocado, cut it in half, put the two halves into a bag and freeze. You can also mash up the avocado and freeze as well. Frozen avocado works best in foods that can be blended such as guacamole, sauces or smoothies.

8. Bread

Preserve a fresh loaf of bread by freezing it. To use it, remove from freezer and let thaw for about three hours, or stick it in the oven to serve bread hot. If you don’t want to thaw the whole loaf at once, be sure to slice it before you freeze it.

9. Herbs

If you have an abundance of fresh herbs, freeze them in olive oil in ice cube trays to use for later cooking. Once they freeze overnight, you can transfer cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’ll be great later on for soups, sauces, and stews.

10. Potato Chips

There’s nothing worse than a stale chip. Since most of the moisture is already cooked out of potato chips, you can freeze them to help prolong their shelf life without the risk of them getting soggy. When you’re craving a salty snack, grab a few and go.

[h/t Rodale’s Organic Life]